Published: Thursday, May 9, 2013 at 6:02 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, May 9, 2013 at 6:02 p.m.

Bonnie Raines and Bryan Holder shared some common ground before their lives intersected one harrowing morning.

Raines was studying to help people like Holder when a bullet from a rifle he stole ripped through her side about 1:30 a.m. July 2, 2012.

Holder, 21, of 925 Wesley Court, Apt. 29, Boiling Springs, was sentenced Thursday to serve 40 years for Raines' shooting and other crimes in connection to the event.

Jurors began deliberations about 12:40 p.m. Wednesday. They returned with the verdicts about 4 p.m. Thursday.

Holder was tried on three counts of attempted murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. Jurors instead found him guilty of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature for Raines' shooting, two counts of first-degree assault and the weapons charge.

Holder sat silent as the verdict was read. He was placed in shackles before his attorney, Chris Thompson, told Circuit Court Judge Derham Cole that Holder has a young child, a son whose life Holder wants to be part of. Thompson said Holder's own father did not take an active role in his life and died several years ago and Holder's mother has cerebral palsy.

“Bryan's been without guidance,” Thompson said.

He said Holder made a “terrible mistake” and did not foresee the consequences of his actions.

Holder apologized in court to the family from whose home he stole several guns, money, electronics and other items on June 28, 2012. “I have no excuse for what I did,” Holder read from a letter he wrote.

He said he understood how stupid and irresponsible it was and apologized for the theft. He also apologized to the woman house-sitting for the family at the time. The homeowners were out of town when the thefts occurred. According to testimony, the house-sitter allowed Holder into their home on Bethesda Road.

Thompson asked Cole to give Holder a sentence that would allow the young man to be a part of his child's life.

Raines may not be able to have a child due to injuries she sustained in the shooting.

“The only thing we know for sure is that I'm going to have to have more surgeries,” she testified Tuesday.

Raines' mother, Rhonda Crosby, said in court that Raines was attending college to be a social worker so she could help people like Holder when she was shot.

The prosecution asserts Holder randomly targeted victims and shot at them with a 30.06 rifle equipped with a scope.

Authorities said days after Holder stole guns and bullets, he and his codefendant, Mattison Tyler Schomer, 18, of 124 West Drive, Spartanburg, went to a field near Schomer's home.

A bullet pierced the passenger side door of a Mazda Miata parked outside the Raceway gas station at 8671 Asheville Highway in the Springfield community.

Raines, then 19, was sitting in the passenger seat. The bullet tore through one side of her body before it hit the center console. Bobby Swigert Jr. was sitting beside Raines.

A third victim was pressure washing concrete at the Ingles Gas Express across the highway. He testified Tuesday he heard about four shots, including two that “sounded really, really close.”

The defense suggested Schomer was the shooter and said he later blamed the shootings on Holder.

The defense questioned Schomer's credibility, pointing out that he changed his story five times, including on the witness stand.

Schomer pleaded no contest last month to three counts of attempted murder and receiving stolen goods. Schomer remains in the Spartanburg County Detention Center awaiting sentencing. A weapons charge against him was dropped as part of a plea deal.

Holder has been in jail since he was arrested July 3 on charges related to the larceny.

Holder testified Tuesday he didn't know about the shootings until weeks later, when an officer served warrants on him for attempted murder at jail.

Seventh Circuit Solicitor Barry Barnette questioned how Holder could not know given all the media attention surrounding the shootings.

At a press conference around the time, Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright likened it to the 2002 Washington sniper shootings in which two gunmen killed 10 people during a weeks-long shooting spree.

“This can't happen in our community,” Barnette said in court after Holder's verdicts were announced.

Barnette said a bullet almost ripped Raines in half and the other victims also could have been killed.

“If this is not attempted murder, I don't know what is,” Barnette said.

One point of agreement was that Raines was fortunate to have survived the shooting.

“I think God was out there protecting this young lady,” Thompson said.

Crosby said in court that she understood Holder had a gun that he wanted to shoot.

“It's not right to choose a target with a purpose,” Crosby said of her daughter.

God, Crosby said, protected Raines because she has a purpose.

Crosby said Raines was an answer to prayer. For 10 years, she prayed to have a child. That's when Raines came into her parents' lives. Crosby said she was adopted from a family similar to Holder's — a home where she had little support.

“I felt sorry for him from the beginning,” Raines said.

She and her mother say they have no hatred toward him.

Crosby is thankful Raines survived.

Raines is unsure if she wants to help disadvantaged children or victims.

<p>Bonnie Raines and Bryan Holder shared some common ground before their lives intersected one harrowing morning.</p><p>Raines was studying to help people like Holder when a bullet from a rifle he stole ripped through her side about 1:30 a.m. July 2, 2012.</p><p>Holder, 21, of 925 Wesley Court, Apt. 29, Boiling Springs, was sentenced Thursday to serve 40 years for Raines' shooting and other crimes in connection to the event.</p><p>Jurors began deliberations about 12:40 p.m. Wednesday. They returned with the verdicts about 4 p.m. Thursday.</p><p>Holder was tried on three counts of attempted murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. Jurors instead found him guilty of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature for Raines' shooting, two counts of first-degree assault and the weapons charge.</p><p>Holder sat silent as the verdict was read. He was placed in shackles before his attorney, Chris Thompson, told Circuit Court Judge Derham Cole that Holder has a young child, a son whose life Holder wants to be part of. Thompson said Holder's own father did not take an active role in his life and died several years ago and Holder's mother has cerebral palsy.</p><p>“Bryan's been without guidance,” Thompson said.</p><p>He said Holder made a “terrible mistake” and did not foresee the consequences of his actions.</p><p>Holder apologized in court to the family from whose home he stole several guns, money, electronics and other items on June 28, 2012. “I have no excuse for what I did,” Holder read from a letter he wrote.</p><p>He said he understood how stupid and irresponsible it was and apologized for the theft. He also apologized to the woman house-sitting for the family at the time. The homeowners were out of town when the thefts occurred. According to testimony, the house-sitter allowed Holder into their home on Bethesda Road.</p><p>Thompson asked Cole to give Holder a sentence that would allow the young man to be a part of his child's life.</p><p>Raines may not be able to have a child due to injuries she sustained in the shooting.</p><p>“The only thing we know for sure is that I'm going to have to have more surgeries,” she testified Tuesday.</p><p>Raines' mother, Rhonda Crosby, said in court that Raines was attending college to be a social worker so she could help people like Holder when she was shot.</p><p>The prosecution asserts Holder randomly targeted victims and shot at them with a 30.06 rifle equipped with a scope.</p><p>Authorities said days after Holder stole guns and bullets, he and his codefendant, Mattison Tyler Schomer, 18, of 124 West Drive, Spartanburg, went to a field near Schomer's home.</p><p>A bullet pierced the passenger side door of a Mazda Miata parked outside the Raceway gas station at 8671 Asheville Highway in the Springfield community.</p><p>Raines, then 19, was sitting in the passenger seat. The bullet tore through one side of her body before it hit the center console. Bobby Swigert Jr. was sitting beside Raines.</p><p>A third victim was pressure washing concrete at the Ingles Gas Express across the highway. He testified Tuesday he heard about four shots, including two that “sounded really, really close.”</p><p>The defense suggested Schomer was the shooter and said he later blamed the shootings on Holder.</p><p>The defense questioned Schomer's credibility, pointing out that he changed his story five times, including on the witness stand.</p><p>Schomer pleaded no contest last month to three counts of attempted murder and receiving stolen goods. Schomer remains in the Spartanburg County Detention Center awaiting sentencing. A weapons charge against him was dropped as part of a plea deal.</p><p>Holder has been in jail since he was arrested July 3 on charges related to the larceny.</p><p>Holder testified Tuesday he didn't know about the shootings until weeks later, when an officer served warrants on him for attempted murder at jail.</p><p>Seventh Circuit Solicitor Barry Barnette questioned how Holder could not know given all the media attention surrounding the shootings.</p><p>At a press conference around the time, Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright likened it to the 2002 Washington sniper shootings in which two gunmen killed 10 people during a weeks-long shooting spree.</p><p>“This can't happen in our community,” Barnette said in court after Holder's verdicts were announced.</p><p>Barnette said a bullet almost ripped Raines in half and the other victims also could have been killed.</p><p>“If this is not attempted murder, I don't know what is,” Barnette said.</p><p>One point of agreement was that Raines was fortunate to have survived the shooting.</p><p>“I think God was out there protecting this young lady,” Thompson said.</p><p>Crosby said in court that she understood Holder had a gun that he wanted to shoot.</p><p>“It's not right to choose a target with a purpose,” Crosby said of her daughter.</p><p>God, Crosby said, protected Raines because she has a purpose.</p><p>Crosby said Raines was an answer to prayer. For 10 years, she prayed to have a child. That's when Raines came into her parents' lives. Crosby said she was adopted from a family similar to Holder's — a home where she had little support.</p><p>“I felt sorry for him from the beginning,” Raines said.</p><p>She and her mother say they have no hatred toward him.</p><p>Crosby is thankful Raines survived.</p><p>Raines is unsure if she wants to help disadvantaged children or victims.</p><p>“I just want to help people,” she said.</p>